Device for supporting the hand while writing



92 1,627,635 May 10, 1 7 R G v DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE HAND WHILEWRITING Fi led Feb. 19, 1925 Patented May 10,1927.

' UNITED STA 1,627,635 TES PATENTTOFFICE.

CHARLES CRAIG, or BOKSBURG, TRANSVAAL, SO TH: AFRICA.

DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE HAND WHILE WRITING.

Application filed February 19, 1925, Serial No. 10,411, and in the Unionof South Africa August 2, 1924.-

This invention relates to a new or iniproved device primarily designedfor supporting the hand while writing, so as to prevent writers crampand other muscular pains arising from prolonged use of a pen, pencil orthe like. The device is, however, also applicable forsupporting the handin other operations, occupations or pursuits,"

such as sketching. etching, drawing, polishing, engraving andother workin which the hand holds an instrument or tool of any kind and is movedbackwards or forwards, or both backwards and forwards, for example toform, mark, or trace lines or charr tlCtGlS on a surface.

The device facilitates writing and, the various other operationshereinbefore mentioned, by providing a support or carrier for the hand,which is movable freely in any direction. as required. It allows thepen, pencil, instrument, tool or the like to be applied to the surfaceon which the lines or characters are to be delineated, et cetera, moreevenly over the entire surface. Furthermore, as the device keeps thehand off the surface on which the writing or other work is being done,it precludes the possibility of the soiling, greasing or moistening ofsuch surface by exudations from the pores of the skin.

The invention will be explained in conneection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein 1 Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of theinvention in possibly its simplest form.

Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation of the construction shown inFig. 1, the plane of section being indicated by the line m-w.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of another form ofthe invention, illustrating other features of construction.

Fig. 4 is a central sectional elevation of Fig. 3,'on line y z Fig. 5 isahalf-sectional elevation of Fig. 3. the plane of section beingindicated by the line 2-2, and

Fig; 6 is an elevation of a still further embodiment of the invention,also drawn to an enlarged scale, illustrating certain other features ofconstruction.

Referring moreparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2, in which I illustrate theinvention in possibly its simplest form, 1 denotes an appropriatelyshaped member or plate which is adapted to fit a portion of the side ofthe hand near the wrist. The plate 1 on the underside is provided withan universal ball bearing in the form. of a ring of balls 2 housedwithin an annular holder or sup porting ring or race 3, the housing orring 3 being fashioned with a recess 4 for each ball 2, and formed withprojecting parts 5- which serve to keep the balls 2 in their recesses 4.As shown in the drawings, the race ring 3 may be riveted at 6 to theplate 1 intermediate the balls 2.

As will be understood, the device is able to move freely on the balls 2in any direction upon and over the surface on which the writing or otherwork is being done.

The plate or member 1 may, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1,be constructedwith loops 7 for attaching or securing it to the hand inthe desired position by means of a strap or straps or band or hands,(not shown) passing, if desired. around the wrist and/or between thethumb and index finger, or otherwise, as preferred. I

Referring to that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5,means is'provided fOr temporarily and detacliably securingthe device onthe hand of the user. This means is such that when the device is broughtinto use to support the hand while writing, et cetera, the partswhichoperate to attach it are disengaged from the hand and, when thehand is raised, said parts are automatically operated to re-engage thehand and again attach the device thereto. In this construction theshaped member or plate 1 is constructed with a central hole or opening8. 9, 10 are two appropriately curved or shaped catches which areadapted to embrace the palm and back of the hand at the other side.These catches 9, 10, in their lower portions project down throughopposite ends of the slot. 8, and each catch has attached to it a blockor sliding piece 11 which blocks 11 are adapted to slide inwardly andoutwardly in guides 12 fixed to the bottom of the plate 1 at the sidesof the slot 8. The-blocks 11 are bevelled in oppositedirections,asindicated at 13. and between said blocks 11 there is positioned .aplunger or part 14, the ends of which are bevelled to correspond to thebevel of the blocks 11. 14 maybeshaped atthe top to follow. more orless, the contour of that portion of the hand which engages therewithwhen the device is in position, and it is provided at This plunger l thebottom with projections which serve as stops for the plunger 14 in anupward direction by engaging the guides 12see Fig. 4a

In the guideways 12, at the sides of the plunger l t, there are placedhelical springs 16 which are attached at their ends, as indicated at 17,to the blocks 11. 8is the race ring for the balls 2, and 18 is an outerannular casing enclosing the race ring 3 and also almost completelyenclosing the balls 2, so that said balls 2 only project below saidcasing to a slight extent, as indicated at 19. The annular casing 18preferably encloses the bottom of the device below the guides 12 andplunger 1st and it may, as

shown at 20, be constructed to serve as a stop for the plunger 14. in adownward direction, so that when the plui'iger let is pressed down bythe hand'on. to the said stop the blocks 11 are pushed apart to asufiicient extent to open the catches 9, 10, and to release them andremove the pressure exerted by them on the hand. In this position thetop of the plunger 14 is level with. the top of the plate 1.

With the plunger 14 depressed, the springs 16 are maintained in tensionto that they automatically operate, when the pressure 0'! the hand onthe plunger 14 is removed, again to draw the catches 9. 10., in thedirection of one another and so engage the hand and attach the devicethereto.

21 represents appropriately shaped lilting pieces positioned between theplate 1 and the outer annular casing 18.

Referring to the further eml'iodiment ot the invention shown in Fig. (l,in which I illustrate a modified form of the means for attaching thedevice to the hand of the user, the nun'ieral 1 denotes the shapedmember or plate, 18 the casing enclosing the balls 2, and 21 the fillingpieces positioned intermediate the plate 1 and casing 18. In thisconstruction the one catch is formed with a foot or outwardly projectingpiece 23 by which it is adjustably attached to one side of the plate ormember 1. The projecting piece 23 has a slot formed in it in whichengages a stud 2t tired to the plate 1, said stud being provided with anut to allow of the catch 22 being secured and adjusted within certainlimits.

The other catch 26 is pivotally attached to a small bracket 27 fixed onthe top of the plate 1 at the opposite side to the catch 22. This catch26 is constructed with a linger piece 28 between which and the plate 1 ahelical spring 29 is arranged. The spring 29 operates to maintain thecatch 26 in the position in which it engages with the hand and, inco-operation with the catch 22, secures the device thereto.

As indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, portions of the catches 2-2,26, may be hinged at 30 to the other portions to allow of their beingplaced in a folded position when the device is not in use. Thisallows ofthe device being folded into a compact form for carrying it in thepocket, packing and other purposes. I

31 are extensions of the hinged parts which serve as stops for saidparts when they are in the extended or open position.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patentis 1. A device of the kind described, comprising a hand-supportingmember provided on the underside with a ball bearing and having shapedcatches engaging-the sides of the hand for securing the device to thehand, and means for automatically moving said catches outwardly todisengage them from the hand when the hand is resting in the member, andfor automatically moving them inwardly to engage with the hand when thehand is raised above the member, as set forth.

it device of the kind described, comprising a hand-supporting memberrovided on the underside with a ball bearing and having shaped catchesengaging the sides o t the hand for securing the device to the hand, andmeans for automatically moving said catches outwardly to disengage themfrom the hand when the hand is resting in the member, and forautomatically moving them inwardly to engage with the hand when the handis raised above the member, said means including a part adapted to beengaged by the hand and actuated by the. pressure thereof to move thecatches outwardly, as set forth. 1

3. A device of the kind described, comprising a hand-supporting memberprovided on the underside with a ball bearing and having shaped slidingcatches engaging the sides of the hand "for securing the device to thehand, and means for automatically moving said catches outwardly todisengage them from the hand when the hand is resting in the member, andfor automatically moving them inwardly to engage with the hand when thehand is raised above the member, said means including blocks to whichthe catches are attached, guides for said blocks, a plunger engagingsaid blocks, and springs for moving said blocks in the direction of eachother, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES CRAIG. I

